January 20, 2020. A moving look at a young man coming-of-age amid sweeping political strife, Funny Boy follows Arjie from boyhood to his teens in Sri Lanka of the 70s and 80s. Raised in the elegant world of wealthy Tamils, a minority group in a largely majority Sinhalese country, Arjie loves dressing up like a bride for pretend wedding ceremonies with his girl cousins.

Oblivious to the whispers between his parents and other relatives, Arjie cannot understand why they call him “funny,” though he knows it’s a “bad” thing. When his magnetic, free-spirited aunt Radha returns to the family home and embraces Arjie for all that he is, the two develop an unbreakable bond. As Arjie, Radha, and their entire family’s lives are irrevocably impacted by simmering tensions in their country that erupt into civil war, an indelible story about love, identity, and freedom unfolds. Deepa Mehta (Oscar-nominated Water) directed this drama, based on a novel by Shyam Selvadurai.